Feasibility, Durability, and Ecological Analysis of A Mass Timber Parking Garage

Abstract

Concrete and steel are currently the most commonly used construction materials, but both are unfortunately high carbon emitters. In the effort to combat carbon emissions in construction, engineers and universities have begun investigating the use of Engineered Wood Products (EWP) in construction. Timber production is a comparatively low carbon emitter and results in carbon capture. Research suggests that mass timber has 30% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than reinforced concrete. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate mass timber as a durable and sustainable construction material by means of examining the experimental durability of timber beams, and comparing the life cycle of a mass timber structure to that of an existing steel structure. To achieve the objectives of this project, this study was completed in three phases: the first: a redesign of an existing structure using AITC standards; the second: an experiment on the durability of EWP beams; and the third: an analysis of the ecological and economical costs of the proposed structure.